Go ahead and watch your favorite streaming show from your porch or backyard tiki bar, but doing so could pose risks to your TV depending on several factors, such as the type of panel you have, how long you’re in the sun, and how much heat is trapped around your screen. Direct sunlight probably won’t damage your TV immediately, but choosing the wrong TV or having an incorrect setup could shorten the life of your device.
OLED TVs aren’t always worth it for budget options, and that’s especially true for devices located outdoors or likely to be exposed to direct sunlight. South Korean researchers subjected lab-made OLED test devices to 300 hours of UV radiation. They found that the light damaged the cathode and electron injection area, which helps produce a bright, stable image on your screen. UV rays also caused material migration in the cathode structure, moving silver and magnesium atoms from their positions. Both of these issues can reduce the brightness of your screen over time and shorten its lifespan.
However, if you’re buying an LCD TV, Samsung – the company behind some of the best TVs for bright rooms – claims that direct sunlight won’t affect the durability of an LCD TV, but that glare may be the biggest problem you’ll face. This is because LCD TVs use liquid crystals to transmit or block light, thus forming an image on your screen. OLED TVs are different because they use organic materials that emit light, which can degrade over time when exposed for long periods of time.
What happens when direct sunlight heats your TV
Light degradation isn’t the only risk to your TV. The amount of heat generated by the sun can also cause damage. It can heat up the screen, case, internal components, and even the stand it sits on. LG advises its customers that higher ambient temperatures can affect an LCD screen, causing its liquid crystals to deteriorate or discolor over time. Sony says to leave plenty of space for ventilation around a TV and to keep ambient temperatures above 32 degrees Fahrenheit and below 104 degrees Fahrenheit. OLED TVs also suffer from heat. Chinese researchers found that high thermal stress significantly reduced the luminance of OLEDs and increased voltage demands.
Heat from the sun poses a risk because your TV already generates heat during normal use. The team at Rtings.com offers some of the best information on heat damage. They dimmed 100 TVs to maximum brightness, then ran them 126 hours a week, checking the results every two months for two to three years. The biggest heat-related issues were with LCD TVs with thin, edge-lit screens. Internal heat warped the reflector sheets, cracked the light guide plates, and burned out the LEDs. When it comes to OLEDs, the Rtings team primarily discovered the risk of screen burn-in, a known OLED risk and one of the reasons why upgrading to an OLED TV may not be worth it. If you keep your TV out of direct sunlight for long periods of time and provide it with adequate ventilation, your TV has a better chance of lasting.
